Top 10 Best Managers with the Most Premier League Wins

The Premier League has seen some of the best footballing talent on the planet over the years. Owing to the abundance of talent, the best football managers have also been summoned by the top clubs to oversee successful campaigns. During the Premier League’s 32-year existence, we have seen countless managers taking charge at the helm of teams with superstar quality and some that have managed to do more with less. Regardless, these managers have earned the respect and gratitude of the fans and their legacy will continue to live on in their hearts for decades to come. 

For this one, we’ll be taking a look at the best football managers with the most Premier League wins. Keep in mind, that we will be prioritizing Premier League title wins rather than the number of games won in the league. That said, the number of games that the managers have won will also be taken into account as will their overall impact and legacy at their respective club and in world football overall. 

All things considered, there have been some of the best football managers in the world who have triumphed in the Premier League, however, some have had a more lasting impact than others. At the same time, some names jump out bigger and higher than the rest and that is what we are going to be ranking today. With that said, let’s get started.

Top 10 Managers with the Most Premier League Wins of All Time

All things considered, some of the best football managers on this list will warrant their rankings on their list based on their achievements and number of Premier League title wins alone. However, there are a number of managers who have laid their hands on the coveted title the same number of times. In such cases, we will be taking into account how dominant the team was that season, and what else the manager was able to achieve during their tenure. 

At the same time, there have been numerous football managers in the Premier League that, during their tenures with different teams have racked up big numbers in terms of games won in the league without winning the title. Unfortunately, these managers will not be included in our list today.  Most notably, there have been numerous managers who have been triumphant in the English top flight, some with numerous titles to their name. However, only those with League title wins after the formation of the Premier League in 1992, will be taken into account. Thus, some top managers of old such as George Ramsay, Bob Paisley, Matt Busby, Herbert Chapman, and many more will not be included in our list today.

With all those things taken into consideration, let us begin by counting down the top 10 best football managers with the most Premier League wins.

#10. Claudio Ranieri (Leicester City)

Dilly ding dilly dong! Claudio Ranieri will forever be beloved by those at Leicester City for delivering a campaign that will quite possibly never again be witnessed in this lifetime. A fairytale and an absolute dream that somehow came to life saw the Foxes, who had a 5,000–1 outsiders chance, go on and win the Premier League title in 2015-16. With the club’s return to the English top flight in 2013-14, it was their second season in the Premiership and Claudio Ranieri’s first at the East Midlands club, taking over from Nigel Pearson.

Whilst his initial appointment was quite surprising for many, the Italian managed to prove everybody wrong, going on to win the league with names that most of the footballing world had no idea about until then. With the likes of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, and N’golo Kante in their ranks, Leicester mounted an unlikely title challenge that completely changed the world’s perception of the sport and the league, and at the helm of it all was the carefree and jubilant Claudio Ranieri. 

#9. Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City) 

Manuel Pellegrini has long been known as a veteran of the game owing to his extensive managerial career. With a long list of top clubs and accolades in his resume, Pellegrini had garnered a reputation even before setting foot in England. That said, the Chilean manager would go on to set new records following his arrival at Manchester City. Under Pellegrini, the Cityzens showed a ruthlessness like no other, blowing teams out of the water and thrashing about top teams domestically and in Europe like nobody’s business.

Displaying an intricate web of passing and possession, Pellegrini’s City side posted one of the highest goal tallies in a single season in Premier League history. That said, his resounding success in his very first season saw Manchester City crowned as the 2013-14 Premier League champions whilst Pellegrini became the first non-European manager to win the coveted title. Whilst his successive seasons were not as great, Pellegrini left Manchester City with one of the highest win percentages in Premier League history. 

#8. Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea)

Whilst Carlo Ancelotti is known for his dominant stints with AC Milan and Real Madrid, there was a time when ‘The Don’ managed Chelsea in the Premier League in 2009. One of the best football managers in the world, Ancelotti arrived with a reputation that preceded him and despite a few setbacks, delivered a Premier League title and FA Cup in his very first season with the club. Having taken a side that was on the brink of success over the line, Ancelotti received high praise from everyone around. Whilst his side struggled at the latter stages of the Champions League, his side put up a record number of goals on their way to the title. 

The following season, however, his side struggled to find the same form, and after a lot of time meandering outside the Champions League spots, put together a solid run, which nearly saw them defend their League title. Unfortunately, a race right down to the wire with Manchester United saw Chelsea finish second and led to Ancelotti’s rather harsh dismissal. During his time in the Premier League at Chelsea, Ancelotti’s win percentage was the third-highest among all managers.

#7. Roberto Mancini (Manchester City)

Prior to Roberto Mancini’s arrival in England, Manchester City was far from the dominant League champion and title favorites as they are now. In other words, the Italian put the Manchester club on the map and was responsible for ending their longstanding trophy drought with an FA Cup win in his second season in 2010-11. Although a fifth-place finish in his first season was less than ideal, Mancini repaid the Emirati hierarchy’s faith in him by securing a cup and a third palace finish in the next. 

However, his Premier League title win in 2011-12 will quite possibly be one of the most cherished among the Cityzens, as it delivered one of the biggest moments in Premier League history. At the risk of losing out the title to rivals Manchester United on the final day, Sergio Aguero helped overcome a 2-1 deficit against Queens Park Rangers to win Manchester City their first Premier League title in nearly 35 years. A monumental success, it sealed Mancini’s legacy as one of the best football managers in City and Premier League history. 

#6. Antonio Conte (Chelsea)

Whilst Antonio Conte was not the most reputed or exciting appointment that Chelsea ever made, his work at the club saw him go down as perhaps one of the best football managers that the League has ever seen. During his very first campaign, Conte equaled the record for most consecutive wins in the English top flight, implementing his wing-back featuring 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 system, which took the League by storm. Following a dominant run of form, Chelsea recorded one of their most dominant title wins, securing the 2016-17 Premier League title with two games to go. 

Although things may not have worked out in his favor the following season, Conte’s work at Chelsea saw him break numerous records which included setting a new Premier League record for the most wins in a single season, among others. Whilst his tenure was short-lived, especially considering the names that follow, it was one of dominance and invention that put the entire country on notice. 

Also Read: Top 10 longest-serving Premier League players for every club currently

#5. Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Among the best football managers that have worked in England, Jürgen Klopp deserves a special mention. Arriving at Liverpool during a transitional phase, Klopp took the Merseyside Reds from a middling side to one of the best teams, not just in England but in all of Europe. Following a few seasons to truly get his idealogy across and getting the players he required for his system, the German manager turned Liverpool into one of the most fierce outfits in all of Europe as they embarked on a historic campaign in 2018-19. Whilst their 99 points in the League would have fetched them the title in almost every preceding season, they were unfortunately pipped by an unrelenting Manchester City side. 

Regardless, Klopp carried on, securing the Champions League that season with a run that saw them complete a turnover of FC Barcelona, dubbed perhaps one of the best in the history of the competition. Then in 2019-20, the team finally achieved their longstanding mission of securing the Premier League, sealing Klopp’s fate as one of the best football managers in the country and the history of Liverpool Football Club. 

#4. Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)

For our next entry, we have a man whose name became synonymous with one of the best clubs in England, Arsenal. A club with a rich history of tradition, class, and excellence, surprised many with its decision to appoint Arsene Wenger as the head coach in 1996, having parted with Bruce Rioch. Although Wenger’s first season saw the club finish third, there were signs of underlying potential and the real belief that they could go on and achieve something special. Then, in Wenger’s second season, Arsenal’s consistency saw them close the gap and eventually overtake Manchester United to win the Premier League, securing an FA Cup to go with it as well. 

The following seasons saw Wenger curate a squad of players that would run riot in the Premier League, rivaling the dominance of Man United at the top of the League. In 2001-2002, Wenger delivered another League title and FA Cup winning the former at Old Trafford. Then, in 2003-2004, Wenger as one of the best football managers on the planet at the time, inspired Arsenal to go an entire season unbeaten on their way to a third Premier League title. As such, the club’s 49-game unbeaten streak remains a record to this day that whilst attempted, has not been bested by any club yet.

Owing to such monumental feats including the second-highest number of wins in Premier League history, the Arsenal hierarchy opted to keep Wenger at the club up until 2018, which was possibly a few years too many. 

#3. Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)

Dubbed ‘The Special One’ for a reason, Jose Mourinho is one of the most entertaining, successful, and influential football managers of his time. With an unparalleled swagger and confidence, Mourinho arrived at Chelsea and immediately led the club to an all-timer season with a record number of 95 points (at the time), conceding only 15 goals throughout the entire season. Then, in the following season, Mourinho secured a second title in a row, fending off Manchester United. Whilst the next season did not yield a Premier League title, the Portuguese manager Mourinho secured the elusive FA Cup to complete his collection of domestic trophies. 

Despite being the most successful manager in the club’s history, Mourinho’s growing tensions with owner Roman Abramovich meant that something had to give and the Portuguese manager unexpectedly parted ways with the club by way of mutual consent in the early part of the 2007-2008 season. Whilst some suggest a middling run of form to be the decisive factor, it was reportedly due to Abramovich’s hiring of Avram Grant as technical director of the club. However, after returning in his second stint at the club, Mourinho once again won the League title, establishing his reputation as a Premier League great.

#2. Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)

Quite possibly the best football manager on the planet currently, Pep Guardiola has done the unthinkable on many occasions, and at numerous clubs. However, his era of dominance at Manchester City remains truly unparalleled and is surely one of his most impressive accomplishments. Whilst Guardiola already achieved tremendous success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, his four Premier League title wins in a row, coupled with innumerable cup wins and a much elusive Champions League in 2023, will see him go down as one of the best football managers of all time.

Despite a momentary hiccup in his first year, Guardiola set off like an unrelenting machine capturing the Premier League title with a record-breaking 100 points in his second season at the club. Further campaigns ending in either a domestic or continental treble eventually made Pep Guardiola the manager with the second most title wins in Premier League history. A resume like no other, only one name can match Guardiola’s Premier League legacy.

#1. Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)

When Sir Alex Ferguson first arrived at Manchester United, there were some doubts as to whether he was the right man for the job. Fast forward 27 years later, and the Scotsman retired as the best football manager in the history of the sport, securing 38 trophies for Manchester United, including an unprecedented 13 Premier League titles, and 48 trophies overall, making him the most successful manager in the history of the sport. Despite slow starts, Alex Ferguson established Manchester United as one of the most dominant sides in the country and the poster team for the Premier League, securing the most number of wins (528) in the competition’s history.

Under Fergie, Manchester United became a commercial success as well, now being recognized as one of the most popular clubs worldwide. In an era of trophies and triumphs galore, Ferguson’s ability to deliver, despite troubling circumstances, is an achievement unseen and unrepeated in the sport. As such, Sir Alex Ferguson is rightly hailed as the best football manager in the Premier League and the world.

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